. . . design makes a conference look. A stage set, prominent and artful signage, and technology all played off of ad tech Chicago’s crisp and clean design site.

. . . a keynote/expo pass lets you test out the event to see if you want to invest next time/next city – FYI the ad tech action is hotter in NY and San Francisco according to several people I talked to

. . . SEO and PPC options lined both sides of the exhibit isles

. . . a speaker/press/blogger lounge is not only thoughtful, but powerful

. . . it’s good to have wi-fi on your laptop beamed in free from a sponsor

. . . Google’s 30 minute complimentary Ad Words Maximizer session introduced me to the logic behind the scenes and indoctrinated me to nuances like: starting all of the words in the headline with capital letters gets a better response and analyzing the build-in reporting can help you not only fine-tune your ad campaigns, but also finesse and respond to the traffic patterns on your site.

. . . if there’s a party after the show, the place clears out – fast – so follow the pack to the watering hole

This week’s video talks about SMPR, the new Social Media Press Release format devised by Shift Communications and promoted by PR Web as being made for its new platform. Watch it here: http://tinyurl.com/fby6o

This week’s message came to mind in the mists of Indiana’s corny farm fields.

Not the first place you’d think of as an oasis of marketing inspiration, right?

Here’s the replay . . .

Two hours behind schedule because of boa constrictor traffic, now driving as fast as the speed limit allowed, we were nowhere near to being on track to get to the U.S. Grand Prix qualifying trial on time.

The only way we’d make it for the start is if we were in Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari.

Was there any other way – at all – we could find out what was happening?

Now, I must admit I seriously considered everything (well, maybe not the truck stop) except the correct answer, D, because I’m still acclimating to using my Treo as an Internet connection – make that a mobile sports channel.

Vaguely recalling that we used the Treo to check on the World Cup scores once from a botanical garden, I stealthily eased it out of its sleek black leather case, logged on inconspicuously and announced, ‘I have THE latest F1 stats!’

It’s a wonder the car stayed on the road.

Now here’s the lesson . . .

MICES, Mobile Interactive Client Engagement Systems, (yes, I did make that acronym up) delivered via cell phones allow you to connect with your clients anywhere – even inside a noisy minivan playing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and matt pond PA (www.mattpondpa.com) on I-65 in Indiana.

Even if you’re a mobile-info junkie, have you ever considered how to squeeze your business into a cell phone?

Now, let’s talk about how you can use MICES to catch your mobile clients.

Before we get into too much detail, you need to know that your clients must want to be caught.

In fact, when they’re so eager to want to have you reach them anywhere, anytime, MICES is a service they crave.

(Note to real life mouse catchers: a friend’s recent in-house survey showed that mice – at least one she was trying to catch – prefer Ghirardelli over cheese. Try it.)

How hungry are your clients for MICES?

Here’s a way to gauge/generate interest.

Today’s issue of the Wall Street Journal features an interview with James Stengel, Global marketing officer, Procter & GambleCo. Stengel talks about using cell phone marketing with a reference to the new Crest with Whitening Plus Scope Extreme toothpaste ‘irresistibility quiz’ consumers can take using text messaging. Stengel is quoted as saying, ‘The last thing we want to do is aggravate and interrupt someone in a media they’re enjoying. . . whether it be on mobile (phones), gaming or the Internet, we start with, ‘What’s our place, what’s the consumer habit, what would be helpful, what would be interesting?’

So how do you breed MICES?

Start out by designing/breeding MICES communications by answering these questions:

1. Who in your client base would best benefit from timely text-messages, a mobile enhanced site or even photos?

2. What kind of information would you send: reports, scores, reminders, project updates, event promo/reminders, links to sites, special offers?

3. ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Site’ What will your site look like and how will it function on a cell phone screen – test it out as is now and map out a mini-version.

4. When would your client use this informationto connect and/or buy from you?

5. Where does MICES fit into your communications plan and what does it integrate with?

6. Why do you want to use MICES – to enhance your client communications, right?

7. How will you inform them/will they sign up? And, how will you monetize the service – subscription fees, ads, sponsors, faster and better sales?

‘In 2005, according to Gartner, text messaging generated $70 billion in revenue for the carriers, which made a whopping gross profit margin on that part of the business of more than 90 percent, about double the margin for the business as a whole.

By contrast, mobile instant messaginggenerated $55 million in revenue in 2005, according to In-Stat, though that is forecast to grow to more than $3.6 billion by 2009.’

So, think about how you can turn your client’s cell phone into an on-demand mobile interactive client engagement system (MICES) that makes money and good sense for both of you!